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Marquette hosts North Dakota State for Blue and Gold title

Dec 2, 2006 - 6:08 PM No Dakota St (4-2) at No. 9 Marquette (8-0) 9:00 pm EST

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Coach Tom Crean goes for his 150th career win as the Marquette Golden Eagles try to win the Blue and Gold Classic for the sixth time in seven seasons.

The ninth-ranked Golden Eagles look to remain undefeated when they host North Dakota State on Saturday in the championship game of the Blue and Gold Classic.

The Golden Eagles are 74-15 in their own tournament, but their run of six straight titles ended last season when they were upset 71-64 by Winthrop in the championship game.

Marquette is trying to avoid a similar fate this season, as it attempts to go 9-0 for the second time in three years.

Marquette beat Northwestern State 83-67 in the opening round on Friday.

Ousmane Barro had a career-high 21 points and matched his career best with 13 rebounds, and Dominic James scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half as the Golden Eagles look to improve their 74-15 overall record in this tournament.

North Dakota State, playing in its only tournament of the regular season, beat Princeton 57-50 in the opening round on Friday. It was the first game the Bison had played against an Ivy League opponent.

Ben Woodside scored 20 points as the Bison rallied from an early 15-point deficit.

Mike Nelson had 16 points and Brett Winkelman had 11 points and 10 rebounds for North Dakota State, which has won three in a row.